Rev. Rob Jones
November 1, 2023

Gospel Matthew 23:1-12 
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3 therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. 6 They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. 9 And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father — the one in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

Prayer for Illumination: 

O God, Your Word is more than marks on a page. Your Word walked among us and taught us. Your Word continues to teach us. Through the depths of time, the gospel walks still. Open our minds and help us to hear the lesson You have for us today. 

I cannot read the text in today’s lesson without thinking about the political climate in our country. I was taught in seminary, with good reason, never to bring up politics from the pulpit. But if anyone has read a headline or turned on the news since Clinton was president, they are acutely aware that our modern politicians are no longer statesmen. They are no longer figures who humbly go to Washington to represent their constituency. Although I may naively think that some do go in with the intention of doing a good job, most are eventually corrupted, and the ones who refuse to be corrupted are soon removed by their party for not towing the “party line.” 

Yes, the day of the Elder Statesperson is over. Those elected to lead are no longer above reproach. Today, the law-and-order hawks want to defund the FBI. The live-and-let-live crowd wants to defund the local police. Those who lead us tell us we should follow the rules, obey the laws, and pay taxes. Yet, while we hear those words and try to be good Christian people, they keep getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar. It’s a do as I say, not as I do mentality that we used to joke about when parents would tell their kids not to smoke and drink while they smoked and drank. Yes, today’s lesson hits close to home in our modern society. The days of Abraham Lincoln’s stoic stature and Eisenhower’s steadfast patriotism are distant memories. 

I don’t care what political party you ascribe to. I assume that when you vote, you do so through prayerful discernment. However, I am directly correlating the leaders Jesus talks about in verses 1-7 and our modern leaders. Not just ours but world leaders, too. It’s almost as if Jesus is speaking through time, pointing at those who are blatantly skewing the teachings of scripture. Shamelessly flaunting the laws they swore to uphold, all the while pointing at someone else and saying, “…But look at what they are doing; their crime is worse than my crime!” 

₄ They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 

Our government is constantly on the brink of shutting down because our leaders can’t find a workable budget solution. That’s an oversimplification, but what will that mean for the average person? First, we are told that non-essential government employees will not be paid. Who is in that category? We are told that sometimes the US military is in that category. How many of us know someone in the military? (Yeah, most of us) How many of us think that the military is essential to the defense of the US? But do you know who will keep getting paid? (yep, Politicians). Other times it’s the TSA, Park Rangers, etc. It seems it’s whoever can be scapegoated this week. 

₄They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 

This is an ongoing threat to the average American. A shutdown seems to be the normal way of governing for the last decade or more.

It’s easy to point the finger, though, isn’t it? It’s easy for me to stand up behind a majestic, historical pulpit, point the finger at those chosen to lead, and say, “Look at them; if they have heard the lessons of Jesus, they certainly aren’t showing it.” The simple fact is this: none of us is innocent. We do not follow Jesus’ advice as found in scripture.

…therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it, but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.

As Christians, we try harder than most to comprehend God’s will. Still, more often than not, our comprehension and discernment are somewhat lacking. We often wonder, “What can we do about the evil we see so persistent in the world?” So many problems bombard us at any given moment that we don’t know what to do about them. 

What we have going on in the modern world is the same thing Jesus rails against in our lesson. What is it that he is railing against, you ask? The distance between Insight and Performance. Our rational minds hear the lesson, but we don’t take the needed action to follow the lesson. Sometimes, we do the opposite of the correct action. I swear God must think of us as mere toddlers. Here are but a few simple points. 

• God has commanded us not to kill, but we continue to arm ourselves excessively.
  • Consequence – So far (as of November 2^nd), in 2023, there have been 565 mass shootings in the continental US. (defined as four or more injured or killed) And more than 2000 people overall were killed in gun-related deaths. (including murder and suicide)
    • We must realize that the more we arm ourselves, the more we create a culture of fear and violence. It's time to break the cycle and invest in peace instead of weapons.
• Christ told us to love our neighbor, but our government pays farmers not to grow food.
  • Consequence – While much of our population has too little to eat, parents must choose between paying a bill and feeding their kids. Our actions say, “It’s just too much trouble to make a way to get food to ‘those people.’ It’s not like they’re a voting bloc that matters anyway.” 
• Christ told us that if we have two coats and a brother or sister has none, we should give one away – But we ignore our brothers and sisters who are cold.
  • Consequence – We live in a world where homelessness grows day by day. 

Jesus pointed all his followers toward simple, humble actions such as the provision of food, shelter, clothing, and making peace; these essential matters of the gospel, fundamental teachings of Jesus that we hear every week, that we claim to emulate in our lives… we fall woefully short. The distance between insight and performance is what Jesus is condemning in this lesson. Just as I used politicians as a scapegoat, Jesus begins with the Pharisees. 

But in verses 8-12, Jesus shifts his focus from those in power to those who follow him. He seems to be speaking to his disciples, perhaps even to the early church. He instructs his hearers against seeking earthly honors; he tells them and us to seek a lifestyle of humility. That is the exact opposite of where we find ourselves today, especially with the current generation coming of age. 

Self-promotion and personal brand-building are essential for success in today’s job market. The gig economy and monetization of social media, combined with the decline in corporate career stability—caused by companies using unfair hiring practices, reducing employee benefits, and cutting hours to avoid full-time staffing—are leading an entire generation to be worse off than their parents were. 

That’s not the American dream I grew up with. The basic facts are this. We need to start rereading the Bible. I mean reading, studying, and discerning a lesson for our lives. Not to affirm what we have been told to believe, but for the actualization of what the gospel does say, even when it pushes back on our personal paradigm. The Word of God should convict us to act differently from how we instinctively act. The Word of God should make us feel some guilt and make us confess, “Yes, I am a sinner. No, I do not deserve grace. But thank the Lord above I have received it, because of that, I am made new. As Paul said, “₁₇ …if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being! ₁₈  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Cor 5:17-18) The Word of God is more than words; there is a distance between our Insights and our Performance regarding the Word. (capital W)

As followers of God, we are called to live as examples of Jesus' teachings, to read and actualize the gospel, and to lead a life of humility. The gap between our beliefs and actions needs to be addressed, and we must start by examining our behavior. We must take the initiative to read and study the Bible thoroughly, gain insights into Jesus' teachings, and commit to implementing them. We can actively work to reduce this distance by acknowledging our shortcomings and striving to align our thoughts and behaviors with His. 

Beyond personal change, we must be a voice for change in our communities and society at large. We must hold our leaders accountable to a higher standard, and instead of finger-pointing, we should lead by example, advocate for change through peaceful means, and champion God’s teachings of justice, peace, and love. Let us continue to pray for guidance as we reflect on our actions and our commitment to God. Let us commit to making responsible decisions, becoming agents of positive change in our communities, and ultimately, inspiring others to follow Jesus' teachings and work towards a more just and loving society. 

In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.